Bronx Community Board 7 (CB7) secretary, Yajaira Arias, was elected as the board’s new chairperson at the November general meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 15. Arias succeeds Emmanuel Martinez, who stepped down last summer from the role. Parks chair, Barbara Stronczer, had been acting as interim board chair until the board’s election took place.

 

Arias told Norwood News that at age 5, her parents moved to The Bronx to 196^th Street and Morris Avenue. She attended the P.S. 86 Annex, and later, P.S. 86. At 12, her family moved to the South Bronx where she lived until the age of 23. She later moved back north to 198th Street and Morris Avenue and later, to 192nd Street and Grand Concourse. She currently lives at Fordham Hill Cooperatives, in Fordham Manor.

 

Arias is an honors graduate of Fashion Industries High School, SUNY Fashion Institute of Technology, and of CUNY College of Technology. She earned degrees in applied sciences and holds a Bachelors in paralegal/law studies, which she said took her on the path to becoming a paralegal, a career she said she loves, and has worked in for the last 25 years.

 

“In 2017, I became a (CB7) board member, and in 2019, I was elected as the board’s secretary,” she said. “In this role, she said she came to learn, understand, and appreciate the daily work carried out by the staff, members, and elected officials to enhance and enrich the community. “As secretary, you are a part of every committee, and work with every chair to ensure accurate information is properly posted and shared,” she said.

 

Addressing those present at Tuesday night’s meeting, prior to the vote, Arias referred to a written vision of what she wanted the board to be, which she had sent to members beforehand. “I want to make sure that we keep building on the foundation that has already been established, and I want us to work as a team,” she said in part, later adding that she wanted the team to be strong and cohesive.

 

“I know that a lot of things have gone up and down, especially with COVID and with us, at some point, seeing each other personally in meetings,” she added. “So, my vision is to continue to create transparency in everything that we do. I want us to have great teamwork, and assure this board that we can do everything that we set out to do, and we can look to a better future, not just for ourselves, but for the generations that are coming after us.”

 

Describing herself as a team player, a paralegal, bilingual, and someone who was upfront about her views, Arias said she wanted the board to work hard at implementing goals, and to have good morale among members. “I can get around as good as anyone in this district,” she said. “I bring everything that I want forward.”

 

Later, directly addressing Chad Royer, chair of the Veterans committee and second vice chair of the board, who was ran for the position of chair, Arias said she would continue to work constructively with him whatever the outcome. “May the best-qualified person win here tonight. Win or lose, I am very proud to be a part of this board.”

 

In his pitch to members, Royer said he was a resident of the district for over 40 years, had children, and had been a board member since 2017. “I was the former health committee chair, the current veterans chair, and the second vice chair,” he said. “I’m also a founding member of Bronx Parent Autism Support Circle, which is a parent support group going on strong for nine plus years,” he added.

 

Royer said he was running to see how the board, which he described as the best in The Bronx, could get some of the items on the capital expense budget funded, in other ways, in addition to working with elected officials. He cited some successful advocacy that was carried out on the upgrading of basketball and handball courts in St. James Park, and how this renovation was later successfully funded.

 

“I also want to work with our committees and members to address the issues like quorum participation, engagement, and bringing content forward to the community so that we can tackle those issues at hand, together….a little bit of what I’ve done in the past,” he said, citing his work on an early intervention forum at Lehman, a disabilities awareness forum at Lehman, veterans’ roundtables on mental health, tenants’ rights, and curbing illegal fireworks.

 

“One success I’m really proud of is the fact that I’ve been able to chair two committees on our board for the course of four years,” he said, adding that he also wanted to help new members become more knowledgeable to better advocate for the community. “I listened to a lot of your feedback, and I’m ready to work, ready, willing, and able to help you,” he said. “I will not waste your time.”

 

Ahead of the election, as both nominees already held elected positions on the board, Stronczer informed attendees that, in accordance with the bylaws, nominations would be accepted at the next month’s general meeting for whichever position would be left vacant following the election of the new chair.

 

The candidates took a few questions from members. Both said they were generally open to the possibility of retaining a hybrid (in person and virtual) meeting model in the future, if allowed by law. Asked what was the first thing they would do, if elected as chair, Arias said she would hold a meeting with all members to discuss pros and cons in order to evaluate how to move forward, knowing that some people were not happy with certain things as they stood. Royer agreed, saying it was important to gauge the members’ commitment, and their goals for the board in order to put them on the right committees.

 

It was the last board meeting for resigning district manager, Ischia Bravo, who said she was taking vacation before taking up her new position in January as Bronx county clerk at the Supreme Court and therefore, would not be attending the December meeting. Bravo was widely thanked for her many years of service, as was Stronczer, for acting as interim chair, and Royer for putting himself forward as a candidate for chair.

 

After the results of the election were announced, many members and attendees offered their congratulations to Arias, including District 15 City Council Member Oswald Feliz, who said, “I’ve known you for 10 years. You’re dedicated. You’re a team player, and I know you’re going to do a great job of continuing to lead this board.”

 

CB7 serves the neighborhoods of Bedford Park, Norwood, Fordham, Jerome Park, Kingsbridge Heights, Mosholu Parkway and University Heights. “I am honored to have been elected as chair of BXCB7, and as chair, I will continue to provide representation, assistance and advocacy for all residents within our district,” Arias said.